How long does Femara stay in your system?
I am going to take at least a little break from Femara, and I was wondering if anyone knows how long it takes to completely leave your system?? Thanks so much!!
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i am curious about that, but i can't help. while we're at it, i have been wondering the same thing about aromasin. how long for the SEs to ease off?
adele
lancaster, pa
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I finished Femara end of August this year. I was taking also Didrocal for bones. Since I finished that one now too, I went to my doctor to confirm that I don't need to take it any more since I am finished with Femara.
NOT SO.... She said that because it takes long time for my body to get rid of Femara, I still have to take Didrocal for minimum another 6 months. So I guess we can presume, that at least 6 more months after stopping taking it, we still have Femara in our system.
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Thanks so much for your response, and congratulations on finishing up with Femara!!
I haven't quite decided what I am going to do yet. I am premenopusal and have been receiving Zoladex/Femara shots for the past two years. I know this is controversial, and so I am going for one more opinion.
Congrats again!
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Hana are you sure that it take 6 months.
I would have said not very long because when you read the medical sites describing the medication you understand that femara works on a day our two day basis. That is why they say that if you have forgotte you pill wait for the day after. And that is why the advise you also to try not to forget to take it. And that all the sides effects go as soon as you stop taking femara.
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I don't know. I trust my doctor as she is a "Smart Cookie" as I was told by Emergency Staff in the hospital.
What you are saying sounds right too. Then again - the bone pills I am advised to take for another 6 months are not going to cause me any harm. So be it.
I was happy to stop Femara. I was feeling great within couple weeks but I think it was more less hopeful wish because my hair didn't stop falling out and I had to start Tylenol for back pain, or joint pain or hands pain again - you know the drill. Of course - it has been only two months since I stopped.
So - jury is still out
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been off femara 6 mo, after taking it 6 mo. most all side effects have diminished, except for trigger thumbs, sore joints/bone pain. that is still going strong.. never had any pain before femara.
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In 1999 my cancer was stage 1, node neg. estrogen/ pro positve. I was on Tomixifen for 4 years and have been on Femara 2 1/2. I am now not able to afford it. I am 54. Any ideas if I have been on adj. therapy long enough?
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ALso I did 8 rounds of chemo-CMF and 30 days of radiation. I had a lumpectomy Thanks for any info or info where I can get femara free or very very low cost.
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I still had triple triggers in both painful/useless thumbs until I started taking an Omega 3, 6, 9 blend. Within 3 days I could tell they were going to heal. 2 months later I'm happy to say my thumbs are back to the same thumbs I had all my life, before Femara. I stopped taking Femara (after 6 months) 6 months ago, but I didn't know if my thumbs would ever be ok again, so I'm very happy. I wish someone had told me sooner. Best of luck to you..
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I got free samples of Femara from my oncologist for nearly a year. Aparently the free sample program has ended and the onc is saving what they have left for the ladies with no insurance at all. Now there is a program where you can get your prescription filled for $10. Here is a link -
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I wondered where there are clinical reports on the risk factors of returning cancers with Aromasstaseversus not using an aromastase therapy.
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Red38....Hi there. There are no studies on those of us who refuse aromatase inhibitors and probably never will be. Who would pay for it? Certainly not the pharmaceutical companies. That being said I'm not against anti hormone therapy in general. it's just not the right decision for me. We all have to make our own informed decisions. Good luck to all.
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I too, have recently stopped Letrozole, after experiencing the following side effects:
3 months after starting- vaginal bleeding (address by prescribing a vaginal cream- took 6 months for Onc to approve, no improvement)
5 months after- developed Lymphedema in my right arm. ( 3 breast nodes removed, BS was/is confused as to how, as she didn't touch/remove beyond need and there was not cancer activity.
6months after- leg pain/skeletal pain. Nightly leg cramps/numbness in right leg. (attributed to CMF treatments, should go away. Has not) 12 month after,on my own I began taking 250mg of magnesium, all leg/skeletal pain gone within a week.
15 months after- developed a fluid sac on my abdomen. Was scanned, it was just fluid. No explanation.
18months after- UIT's 3 in a 2 months. Also my normally low B/P 117/70 has risen to 148/95.
It will be 2 weeks Friday when I return to Onc. Since stopping, no vaginal bleeding, no feeling of UTI, all swelling gone; my arm, hand, and my abdomen all normal. Able to stay awake, no pain. My real concern is the remaining High Blood Pressure.
Don't want to return to drug or take alternate, as they all have similar side effects.
Wondering if others experienced more side effects then pluses on usage and have decided not to continue.
I am estrogen and progesterone positive. Had CMF rounds prescribed only had 7, as I developed facial Shingles.
BRAC I.
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I have taken Femara for 4 years and 4 months...if the meds stay in system I often question why not take every other day?
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I have made the decision to stop taking it also. I had many of the side effects not realizing it. How long until you felt better? I am looking forward to feeling like myself again.
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Those who had hair loss whilst on Femara, did it come back fuller after it was stopped? I have many of the symptoms described here and i am 6 years on it; but scared to stop it
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I too had 2 cancer positive estrogen and progesterone in one breast. Had mastectomy but refused chemo and did radiation. Then was put on Letrozole 2.5 mg. At first it was tolerable but now down taking it for one year, bone pain, imbalance are worse, and voice loss started 3 months ago... I want to stop the drug but I am petrified cancer comes back... Any proof that this drug can really prevent reoccurrence after having had mastectomy and radiation??? thanks for advic
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Stage 1 breast cancer (estrogen positive), lumpectomy, radiation, Zometa infusions twice a year. Going off of Femara after 5 years and after reading comments, I am starting to think my doctors are idiots. I had cortisone shot into my left thumb, trigger finger. No one told me that Femara was causing this, they almost operated on the tendon. I keep joining gyms but never go, I'm too tired after work and sweat all night if I sleep at all. Happy to be saying adios to Femara after reading the comments. I am cancer free after 5 years and 2 months. Don't even ask me about vaginal dryness, what a nightmare. I bled for weeks after a pap smear and ended up with a UTI. Yes, I think some of my doctors should read my medical chart. They have made my side effects worse and act like I'm crazy. Keflex for the UTI landed me in the ER last month. I had to have Uber drive me, I was about to faint.
I still don't know when the side effects will go away, maybe I'm ruined for the rest of my life but no cancer has returned.
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I asked my daughter who is a 2nd year pharmacy student, she has a app that gives her info about medications, she said the life of letrazole (femara) is 2 days
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Dtad + Red38. I think the studies you're wondering about can be found at pubmed. A .gov site I believe
All kinds of studies are recorded there. Interesting reading. Usually very technical so skip to the summary. Those would be studies they did when they first created the aromatase inhibitors and compared probably to a placebo. statistical info can probably be found at each drugs website too.
ALL - before you quit therapy altogether talk to your onc. They may adjust dose or switch drugs or give you there blessing. Probably depending on how long since surgery. Needs are different if your stage 1 vs. Stage 4.
Good luck to all
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